Note: The accompanying video explains what to do if you have a missing loved one in North Carolina
HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. (WNCN) — Officials in a Wake County town said Monday they were expanding and intensifying the search for an endangered Holly Springs teen missing since Saturday.
Kalea Ava Melton, 18, vanished on Saturday from her home in the Holly Springs neighborhood of Twelve Oaks, according to her family and the Town of Holly Springs.
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Over the weekend, police searched around her home using drones, K-9 teams, and officers on foot, Holly Springs spokeswoman Kelly Miller said in a news release.
On Monday, police said they were “intensifying” efforts to find Melton.
“In response to her disappearance, the department is collaborating with county and state law enforcement agencies to broaden the search and utilize additional resources,” Miller said Monday.
THE LATEST: Missing, endangered Holly Springs teen is back home safe, officials say
New efforts to find Melton include specialized search teams, aerial support, and enhanced technology, officials said.
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Melton, 5 feet tall and weighing 77 pounds, was last seen wearing a white and pink anime sweatshirt, multicolor Vans shoes, and was carrying a Star Wars backpack, officials said. She was also seen with a Vans shopping bag containing a pillow, the news release said.
“We are doing everything within our power to find Kalea and bring her home safely,” Holly Springs Police Chief Paul Liquorie said in a Monday news release. “The collaboration with county and state officials will significantly enhance our search.”
Officials said anyone with information about Melton’s location should contact Detective Dieckmann of the Holly Springs Police Department at 919-567-4737. All tips can be made anonymously, officials said.
